Beeston: Businesses hope to reverse new parking charges

The council said it costs £294,000 a year to run its car parks

Small business owners are pushing for a U-turn over the loss of free parking for up to an hour on council-run car parks in a Nottinghamshire town.

Parking on two car parks in Chilwell Road, Beeston, is now a minimum of £1 for up two hours after a borough-wide council review of its 28 car parks.

Customers used to park at the two sites for up to an hour for free, anytime up to 16:00.

The decision has upset businesses and a petition has been launched.

Broxtowe Borough Council says the money raised from the new parking charges will be put back into its car parks and will prevent cuts to jobs and services.

Phillipa Dytham-Double, owner of Double Image Photography in Chilwell Road, has started a petition to reverse the changes to parking charges on both car parks and to have the one hour free parking before 16:00 reinstated.

'Extremely limited'

Now, parking charges are in place six days a week, from Monday to Saturday, and from 08:00 to 22:00.

Ms Dytham-Double said: "If people are just wanting to pop into the businesses to collect something or place an order, they now have to pay £1 every time they come.

"We don't have access to any alternative free parking - other than on-street parking - which is extremely limited in this area."

It now costs £1 to park for two hours, £2 for three hours, £3 for six hours and £15 to stay all day.

The council said free parking would remain on Sundays, and between 22:00 and 08:00, at all of its car parks.

It also said it would preserve free weekend parking at Devonshire Avenue in Beeston, Oxford Street in Eastwood, Victoria Street in Kimberley and Halls Road in Stapleford.

Councillor Greg Marshall, portfolio holder for resources and personnel policy, said: "As residents know, councils are facing huge pressures on budgets due to cuts from central government and we're always looking for ways to cover the cost of our services.

"This means we can deliver on our commitments to keep our town centres clean, invest in new facilities... and help in our wider ambition of providing new leisure facilities."